Behind Every Great Man There Is a Merlin
by ElineS
Summary: Arthur has to deal with the aftermath of Morgana's short but destructive reign. He copes badly and lets Merlin pick up the pieces. Arthur might wear the crown but Merlin is the one ruling Camelot. Set right after season 3. No slash. Rated T to be sure.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**: T**his is my first Merlin story... And it has been a while since I wrote Fanfiction. Years, I guess. But I got so tired of waiting for season 4 that I decided, screw it, I will write my own stuff then! English is not my mothers-tongue, but I hope you do not find to much faults. If you do, please tell me and I might consider a Betareader then. This is the Prologue. Later Chapters will be longer. Let's get on with it, shall we! This is almost right after the army fell apart in 3.13. Merlin and Lancelot went back to the dungeons after Morgana disappeared in the rubble.  
><strong>

Prologue

The sun rose above the pristine castle of a rescued Camelot, for it's knights, a prince and a loyal servant had saved it from doom. Though the prince would never know how much the servant had helped. Instead, he was irritated with this particular servant.

"I gave one small task. One! To disable the alarm bells, Merlin! But no, we almost had to fight a complete immortal army because you were not able to do what you were told!"

"Well, apparently they were not so immortal, Sire," Merlin said and looked around the dungeons. There were heaps of skeletons and dust everyone. "It will be such a nag to clean the place."

"Merlin, for heavens sake I am going to ki-" Lancelot silenced the prince by coughing quite loud. He scraped his throat and smiled a sour smile.

"Excuse me, Sire, it was my fault actually. I got us caught and…"

"What does it matter, they died," Gwaine kicked against a heap of bones and it rattled away from his foot, "we live. Camelot is saved, cheer, cheer," he said with a voice that wasn't cheerful at all. "Now let us drink some beer… Or rum. I am in need of some."

"Did you just rhyme?" Percival asked. "In a moment like this? Gwaine… What the-"

"It did not do it on purpose," Gwaine defended himself, but with a hint of a smile. "It came out of my mouth before I realized it rhymed."

"Rhymes are not the only things that do come out of your mouth," Percival chuckled.

"What is that even supposed to…" Gwaine his cheeks suddenly turned a bit reddish. "I thought we would not speak of that night ever again."

"Quiet," Arthur ordered. "Enough nonsense. I want to know what happened first and…" He looked at his Father who was curled up in the corner of the room, shivering like a scared child. The prince felt a comforting hand being placed on his shoulder that was bare from armour.

"It is all right, we will bring him to his rooms and Gaius will take a look at him. He will be fine, Arthur. I am sure." Arthur looked at Merlin for a mere second, with a look that could be defined as grateful, before turning away from the touch and letting Merlins hand fall from his shoulder. He would not need comfort. No man was worth crying over. Arthur had said those words himself once and he would abide to them.

"I know he will be," he whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Chapter one. I'm not used to Fanfictions anymore, but I'm used to complete books. So my story will take things slow, like in a book. So no adventure yet, but it will come. No worries. **

**Thank you for the three reviews and tip about the apostrophes. I will keep it in mind! I hope you like this update. To tell me when you think that it's too slow or OOC. I have the main plot in my head, but it's a plot that is very changeable and thin, so if you have some critique or ideas, so share them! And ow, Gwaine was not drunk... Yet. But he will be at some point in this story. Probaly many times.  
><strong>

The castle was in an uproar and everyone did their best to get it back up and running again. King Uther was carried to his room, where Gaius tended to him and gave him a sleeping draught. The knights tended their wounds and cleaned themselves up. Arthur did the same before talking to the royal council who had been locked away in the dungeons, but luckily not murdered. Well, at least, most of them had not been murdered. Arthur missed three Lordships and informed where they were. The council bit their tongue and dared not to speak about it. It was to gruesome and they did not want to relive those memories. Arthur did not ask about it again. Merlin was ordered to gather the servants, those who remained, to let them rid the castle of heaps of bones and ashes scattered around. We need to rehire new staff, Merlin thought when he let his eyes glide over the small group of alive servants.

At mid day Arthur sat on the steps next to Merlin. He tried to make light hearted conversation by talking about the state of his boots. It worked for a moment, but then Merlin asked about his father and Arthurs heart sank. Luckily it was raised quickly again when he saw his knights escorting Gwen back to the castle. He smiled. One good thing had come out of this mess, he thought and walked up to her to kiss her. He could express his love openly now. There was no one to reprimand him about it. _Father._ And his heart sank again.

People had heard the news that Camelot was save again and had gathered themselves in the courtyard. Arthur decided it was best to give them the good message all was well again. He stood on the balcony and proclaimed to the people that Camelot was rid of Morgana and that Uther was back on the throne. It was a lie of course. Morgana was still alive and Uther was in no state to rule anything, not even a pet mousse, but Arthur could not tell the people that. This lie was the story that got written down on paper and got send throughout the lands.

The day sure was eventful and by the end of it Arthur threw himself on the bed, not even taken the effort to take of his clothes before closing his eyes and falling in a much needed sleep. Merlin took of his boots and covered Arthur with a blanket before blowing the candles out and leaving the prince to his dreams.

A 'Well done' from Gaius was what Merlin got as his reward. At first it had bothered him that he did not get any credit for saving, well, the entire whole of Camelot… Again. It bothered him all day, but when Merlin was about to close his eyes and drift of to sleep something in the corner of his mind told him that there were more important things than being named the hero. The kingdom was save. Not the who did it, but the that it was done was important.

Sometimes it even amazed Merlin how his mind produced that thing called wisdom. Merlin wasn't able to keep up in a sword- or fist fight, he tripped and stumbled all the time and he couldn't show his magic to anyone, at least he had some wisdom here and there. Arthur had thought so too on two occasions. Yes, Arthur had thought him wise and that made Merlin smile before falling into his save dreamland where giant bunnies roamed the earth and pigs flew on dragons.

The next morning started with Merlin waking Arthur up by opening curtains. "Rise and shine!" he said and let the sunlight pour into the room, right in Arthurs sleepy eyes. The prince shied away from the light and grunted. "A bit grumpy, Sire?" Arthur walked to the closet and looked up a trouser and shirt. He threw it at Arthur who was still on the bed. "Nothing a good oll' long meeting with the council can not fix," Merlin teased. The prince let out a complaining moan and fell right back into his pillows, covering himself with his blanket. "Now, now, " Merlin said and took the blankets away from him. "I will bring you some breakfast." He had one hand on the doorknob and gave Arthur a cheeky grin. "They expect you in half an hour, Sire." He closed the door quickly when a pillow flew through the air.

When Merlin came back with a tray stuffed with food he found Arthur already dressed sitting behind his desk. The only thing that had not changed was the grumpy look on his face.

"The wonders are not out of the world yet," Merlin proclaimed while entering and putting the tray in front of Arthur. "You dressed yourself." The only response Merlin got was a snarky look that made Merlin almost back away a few steps. My, Arthur sure was in a foul mood. He looked like a wild bear who was poked out of hibernation and was not all to pleased about being disturbed. Merlin decided the best thing was to not poke the bear again and started to clean the room instead, while the prince ate his breakfast in silence. Merlin took the empty tray away from his desk when he was done. "I will go bring this back to the kitchens then," he said. Normally Arthur would have already ordered him to do so, together with a whole list of choirs. Arthur nodded.

"Yes, you do that," the man agreed and then turned his back to his servant. Merlin wanted to say something at first, but then decided not too and left Arthur alone with his thoughts. The prince was not alone for long, since he had a meeting to attend. When Merlin came back from the kitchens, Arthur was not in his chambers anymore. Merlin was not sure what to do now. Arthur had not given him any choirs. It was not to difficult to come up with a few choirs himself and then to do those, but why would he ever do that? Arthur had not given him choirs, thus there were no choirs. He smiled about that fact. Merlin knew what he could do instead. It was about time that he tried to master some new skills.

"King Uther refuses to see anyone. He refuses to leave the safety of his chambers-"

"Are you calling the King a coward?" Arthurs harsh voice interrupted a trusted member of the council.

"No, of course not," the man replied. "I did not mean to offend, sire." He gave a apologetic bow. The whole room was tense. The council wanted prince Arthur to be crowned King, but Arthur simply refused. He would settle for Regent, he had said, untill his father was well again. The council believed that King Uther would never be well again, but Arthur would not hear this. The council however would not take no for an answer. Uther was not well enough to protest his son being crowned King and that was perfect. The council knew the prince to be a good and fair man and that he was only in a horrible mood today. There was need of order in this land, something Uther would never be able to bring. Maybe Arthur could. It was his time. The coming of Arthur. Now only Arthur had to be convinced that it was.

Maybe it was indeed the dawn of a new time, Arthur thought when he looked out of the window and saw Merlin training with a sword, but maybe it was not.


End file.
